Scaffolding



Feb. 1'9, 1929.

F. B. JOHNSTON SCAFFOLDING Filed Feb. 24, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 19, 192,9.

UNITED ,STATESv PATENT OFFICE;

n FRANK B. JOHNSTON, OF ROSELLE PARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN SAFETY DEVICE COMPANY, 0F NEVI-YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

SCAFFOLDING.

The present invention relates to scaffolding and more particularly to an improved hoisting and lowering device by means of which the entire scaffolding may be raised and lowered simultaneously and evenly.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved hoisting means which embodies a plurality yof independent hoisting drums carrying cables adapted for connection with the scaffolding at different points, and to provide a common drive or operating means for simultaneously and equally turning all of the drums to raise and lower the scaffolding evenly at all points and by the use of a single motor or driving unit. Y

Another object of the invention is to provide a plurality of separate hoisting devices which are capable of being mounted upon the adjustable platform or upon the outriggers and which, in either position, may be connected together for simultaneous and equal operation so that the'scaffolding may be controlled from a fixed point to evenly raise and lower the platform or maybe controlled fromy the platform itself for evenly and simultaneously raising and lowering all ,parts of the platform.

Another object of the invention is to provide a common drive means for a number of hoisting devices which is so constructed and arranged as to occupy but relatively small space and not be in the way of those working on the platform, and to provide a device which is positive in action and which may be operated from one motor to actuate all of the hoisting devices connected to it.

Vith the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention will be more fully described hereinaftenand will be more particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

In the drawings, wherein like symbols refer to like or corresponding parts throughout the several views Y v Figure 1 is a front elevation of a scaffolding constructed according to the present invention, and showing the improved hoisting means applied thereto.

Figure 2 is` atop plan view of the same.l

Figure 3 is an end elevation of the scaffolding as applied vto a building, the wall and roof of the latter shown in section.

Figure 4 is a detailed enlarged side elevation of one of the hoisting drums and its adjacent parts, and

Figure 5 `is an enlarged end elevation of a slightly modified arrangement of the hoisting means applied to the outriggers instead y of to the platform, as sho-wn in Figures 1, 2 and 3.

Referring to the drawings, 10 designates a wall ofa building which vmay have a roof or flooring 11, and upon which rest a number of outriggers 12 which project forwardly beyond the wall 10 to support the scaffolding which is suspended beneath the outriggers.

In the present instance three outriggers .are shown, and from each Outrigger there is suspended a pair of cables 13. The cables 13 at their lower ends are wound each upon a drum 14 and the drum is mounted to turn upon a shaft 15 carried in a substantially rectangular frame 16. The frame 16 issecured to the platform 17 of the scaffolding, the platform being composed of a plurality of lengthwise extending boards arranged in edge to edge relation and secured across the upper side of a putlog.

18 or the like. As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the putlogs 18 may be three in number, one disposed beneath eachvpair of frames 16 so that the frames may be securely fastened to the platform 17 by bolts or the like which pass downwardlythrough the boards and through the putlogs. One arrangement of the frames 16 upon the platform 17 is to dispose the outer frames 16 with their drums 14 in a longitudinal row near the outer edge of the platform 17 and with the longitudinal axes of the drums 14 alining.

The rear frames 16 are disposed in a similar manner but near the rear edge of the platform 17 and in transverse alinement with the frames and drums at the forward edge of the platform.v The drums 14 and their mechanisIn are thus disposed in spaced apart pairs o at spaced apart sections or portions throughout the length of the platform 17. Each drum 14, as shown in Figure 4, is provided at one end with a racthet wheel 19 with which engages at ratchet 2O carried by the frame 16 for holding the drum 14 against turning backwardlyto release the cable 13 after the adjustment has been made. The other end of the drum 14 is preferably provided with a worm gear wheel 21 with which meshes a worin 22 carried on a shaft 23, which is journaled in the upper end of the frame 16 above the worm wheel 21. This shaft 23 extends across the platform so as to inter-connect the adjacent pair of drums 14, and the worms 22 and other 'are connected to the shaft 2G.

parts of the driven mechanism are proportioned and threaded so as to cause the simultaneous and equal turniiig` of each pair of the drums ll. rlhe shaft 23 is provided at an intermediate point with a worm wheel 2, which meshes with a second worm 25 carried upon a longitudinally and centrally extending` shaft 26. Each pair of drums ll provided with a transverse shaft 23 and the worm wheels 9A ind worms .25,the shaft 26 carrying the worn is 25, as shown in Figure 2, so as to operate all of the worms 25 when the shaft 26 is rot-ated. Thus the drums la are turned simultaneously and equally not only in pairs, but also in multiple according to the number of pairs which 'lhis insures the even raising and lowering of all p irtions of the platform 17 by the operation o'" ut the single shaft 26. The shaft 26 may be driven in any suitable manner, such as by a motor 27 of electrical type. Of course, any other suitable driving,l connections may be employed for the shaft 26, and a flexible shaft connection may be carried olf from the shaft 2li to any desirable point at which it is desired to locate the driving element.

ln the present instance the platform is disclosed as having a. second platform 2S suspended therefrom by links 29 or the like so that the scaffolding may have the upper and lower platforms in the desired relative at ment at all times.

ln Figure 5 the slight modification shows the depending cables 30 secured to the plat forms 3l and 32 which are interconnected by the links 33, the cables 30 extendingr upwardly to the out-riggers 8l upon which the drums ltand their associated parts are mounted. rlhe structure and arrangement of the drums is identical to that above described in connection with Figures l to a with the exception that the frames 16 are omitted and the transverse shafts 23 are mounted opposite ends in bearing posts 35 which are carried by the ontriggers 3l, and the shafts l5 of the drums are mounted in bearings 36 also mounted on the outriggers.

lt is thus apparent that the mechanism may be applied either to the vertically adjustable platfori'n itself, or may be applied to the supporting outrigjgers so as to uniformly and evenly raise and lower all sections of the platform, and wherein the entire n'iechanism is driven from a single motor.

l have illustrated and described a preferred and satisfactory embodiment of my invention, but it is obvious that changes may be made therein within the spirit and scope thereof as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed iszl. ln scaffolding, a movable platform, a plurality of hoisting* drums arranged in transverse pairs spa-ced 'throughout the trally over the platform and mounted thereon, and gears caried by the shaft one for each transverse shaft and intermeshingl with the gear if'heels thereof for simultaneously turning the transverse shafts and the drums by the single moton 2. ln scaffolding, a movable platform, a plurality of outriggers for supporting the platform, pairs of cables secured to each outrigger and ext-ending downwardly toward the. platform, pairs of drums secured upon the platform at spaced portions throughout the length of the platform and about which the lower end portions of said cables are wound, ratchet means for locking the drums against unwinding, a transverse shaft for' each pair of drums, worm drive means between each drum and the adjacent end of the transverse shaft, a worm wheel carried intermediately upon the transverse shaft, a longitudinal drive shaft mounted on the platform, a Worm on said drive shaft for each worm wheel to intermesh therewith, and a single electric motor attached to the platfo 1in for said drive shaft directly connected thereto to operate the same and simultaneously and evenly turn said drums for raising and loweringthe platform.

8. ln scaffolding, a pair of connected mov-A able platforms, a plurality of winding` drums secured upon one of the platforms at spaced points thereof and disposed in front and rear longitudinal rows and in transverse spaced pairs, driving` means for said drums to turn the same, cables wound on the drums, outriggers for supporting the upper ends of said cables and admit the lif' ing' of the platforms by the winding of drums, a plurality of transverse shafts one for each pair of drums and connected to the windingI mechanisms of the drums, a single shaft arranged lengthwise of the platform and mounted thereon, gear connections between the single drive shaft and said transverse shafts to simultaneously and equally operate all of the drums, and an electric motor mounted on the platform for turning; said drive shaft.

ln testimony that l claim the as my invention, l have signed hereto.

FRANK B. JOHNSTQN.

foregoing my name 

